Posted 1 day 22 hours ago by Xin Lu
At any port you can probably see hundreds to thousands of empty shipping containers just sitting around waiting to be loaded. In recent times these containers have not only transported goods across oceans but have also been transformed into energy efficient dwellings with some great design and ingenuity.
Posted 1 week 3 days ago by Xin Lu
For my entire life, I have never lived in a place bigger than 1400 square feet. The smallest dwelling I had was a studio less than 400 square feet which I shared with my parents. Because of my experience of living in small homes I think of anything over 2000 square feet as excessive for two to three residents. Today I want to highlight some of the reasons why I prefer smaller abodes.
Posted 6 weeks 1 day ago by Julie Rains
Ever met a rich idiot? I’ve known at least two. Not counting my telephone conversation with self-proclaimed Rich Idiot and multimillionaire Robert Shemin (author of “How come THAT idiot’s rich and I’m NOT?”), I’ve also shaken hands with a guy who impressed me with his simplicity and wealth. We met briefly in a parking lot before a company meeting: I was dressed in standard corporate attire; he wore a khaki jumpsuit with his first name (“Don”) stitched in red. A college dropout, Don had just purchased my employer, a food processor with an Ivy League grad as its chief executive and a Ph.D. at the helm of its largest subsidiary. So what do Robert and Don (#346 of Forbes’ The Richest Americans in 2005) have in common?
Posted 8 weeks 3 days ago by Xin Lu
I never knew that cities in America could file for bankruptcy until recently a Northern California city named Vallejo made the news for being on the edge of bankruptcy. So how does this happen, and what happens to a bankrupt city or municipality?
Posted 9 weeks 1 day ago by Catherine Shaffer
The truth is that rents sometimes do not cover the monthly costs of owning the rental home, so how is it that these real estate gurus make their money? A lot of people think that it must involve unfair tactics, such as buying investment property at below-market rates from gullible elderly people, but there can't possibly be enough gullible elderly people to keep the whole industry going.
Posted 9 weeks 2 days ago by Philip Brewer
You used to hear the term "land rich, cash poor" for people who owned valuable land but didn't have quite enough money to make ends meet. It's an expression that dates back to the days when property was the only kind of real wealth there was. It's kind of fallen out of fashion of late. But as property values keep falling, it's worth thinking about the ways in which land is wealth.
Posted 9 weeks 4 days ago by Catherine Shaffer
With dropping home prices, a long term investment in real estate is looking pretty attractive. Whether you want to buy rental property outright, or renting is your plan B when your house doesn't sell, the most important thing you need to think about before you become a landlord or landlady is risk. The concept of risk in renting property tends to draw blank stares. After all, you have insurance on the property. You have a lease. What's the problem?
Posted 12 weeks 3 days ago by Xin Lu
Since I got married people have been constantly asking me two questions. One is, "are you pregnant yet?", and the other is "are you going to buy a house?" One day I told someone that I do not want to afford a house right now and he asked me what I meant, and I told him my reasons why I should not buy something just because I can afford it now.
Posted 16 weeks 1 day ago by Xin Lu
The Federal Reserve just cut the interest rate by 0.75% between two official meetings! This is the largest cut since 1982 and it was like an adrenaline shot to the sagging stock markets. This move means different things for different people and for some consumers it is excellent news. How could these consumers take advantage of this event?
Posted 17 weeks 5 days ago by Xin Lu
Have you seen homes in your neighborhood sell for unreasonable prices and quickly end up in foreclosure? If this is a common occurence then perhaps there is a ring of thieves committing mortgage fraud near you. Learn about mortgage fraud, and some egregious examples of people who indulged in what the FBI calls "the fastest growing white collar crime in America".
Posted 25 weeks 5 days ago by Sarah Baughman
What lessons can future homeowners take away from today's "mortgage crisis?"
Posted 32 weeks 11 hours ago by Julie Rains
A friend shared with me some strategies he’s learned for playing RuneScape. It's set in the medieval times, and involves creating a character, building skill levels, acquiring assets, and completing quests. There can be quite a bit of interaction among players: some are friendly and helpful; others, dangerous and dishonest. Can these strategies be applied to personal finance? Let’s see.
Posted 36 weeks 3 days ago by Philip Brewer
Everybody has seen a rent-versus-buy analysis. On one side you add up the mortgage, taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs (being sure to adjust for the tax write-off of the mortgage interest). On the other side you add up, well, just the rent, really. Then, at the end of 30 years the homeowner has a house and the renter has... nothing. Here's a different way to look at it.
Posted 43 weeks 23 hours ago by Jessica Harp
My husband and I just moved to the Great Northwest, and we batted around the idea of purchasing our first home. We are both college graduates, have great jobs, and we’re ready to live the American Dream! Not only are we ready to live “The Dream”, but the financial aspects of home ownership are certainly appealing. I mean, who likes throwing their money down the toilet every month in rent checks? I sure don’t! So, why would we choose to rent rather than to purchase a home?Have more to say? Join the discussions at Wise Bread's Finance and Frugality Forums.
Get daily personal finance tips to keep you living large on a small budget. Subscribe today!
| Posts | Cmts | |
|---|---|---|
| Carrie Kirby | 4 | 2 |
| Linsey Knerl | 12 | 27 |
| Myscha Theriault | 6 | 23 |
| Nora Dunn | 4 | 5 |
| Paul Michael | 10 | 21 |
| Philip Brewer | 11 | 64 |
| Xin Lu | 11 | 32 |
©
Wise Bread |
About |
Advertise |
Contact |
Forums | Login |
Subscribe
User Agreement |
Privacy Policy |
Copyright
A Killer Aces Media FairBlog™
Subscribe to all Wise Bread articles
All comments